Published: October 02, 2009 11:02 pm      

Many pray for Harney

Thousands visit Caring Bridge pages for updates on mother’s condition.

One week after Greentown mother Jamie Harney was discovered by her children unconscious and beaten in her home, she is being mentioned in countless prayers from across the country.

Harney, 603 E. Walnut St., was discovered at approximately 7 a.m. Sept. 25 by her children. She was unconscious and bleeding following an attack that took place some time during the night or early morning.

Her three children found her and ran to a neighbor’s house, and the neighbor called 911.

Harney was transported to Howard Regional Health System and then taken by Lifeline helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Since that time, her husband, Gary, has been posting updates online on his wife’s progress and reported her condition is improving. The daily journal can be viewed at www.caring bridge.org/visit/harney/journal.

The page has received more than 7,000 views as of Friday and more than 350 messages of support have been posted from throughout Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

A reward fund for information leading to an arrest climbed to $3,000 Friday. The Howard County Sheriff Department and the Greentown Town Council each provided $1,000 to the fund.

Janet Lemler, owner of Century Fields Retirement Community and Century Villa Health Care, also donated $1,000 to the fund.

“Like many other Greentown residents, Ms. Lemler is outraged by what’s happened,” Howard County Sheriff Marty Talbert said in a press release. “She wanted to do something to help, and offered the additional reward money.”

The Heartland Church of Sharpsville, the Harneys’ home church, has established “Jamie’s Fund” with First Farmers Bank & Trust to help cover medical expenses. Donations can be made at the Kokomo, Greentown and Tipton branches.

Heartland Ministries, New River Ministries and the Greentown Lions Club are sponsoring a benefit dinner for the Harney family from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Eastern High School cafeteria, which will be followed by a prayer service.

Talbert said the case remains under investigation and detectives with the sheriff department are working overtime and in conjunction with the Indiana State Police Peru Post and Greentown police.

“We are continuing to interview people, and we are awaiting the results of some pending laboratory examinations,” Lt. Greg Hargrove said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Howard County Sheriff Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at (765) 456-2031.

• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at (765) 454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com